*Ding, ding, ding!*
If you caught Sydney Sweeney’s October Instagram post showing off her muscles, you’ll be well aware that Hollywood’s golden girl is gearing up for a new role. The Euphoria and Anyone But You actress announced in the post that she will be playing Christy Martin in a biopic about the professional boxer’s life.
Given she’s getting a whole biopic, the sporting pioneer has obviously led an interesting life—but Christy’s true life’s tale is more fascinating than you could likely imagine.
Scroll on for all of the details about Christy Martin, and why this movie-in-the-making is a BIG deal.
Who Is Christy Martin & Why Is She Famous?
Hailed as one of the most prominent female boxers in the United States’ history, Christy Martin has well a truly earned her title as an iconic female sportsperson.
Christy’s career started in the late ’80s at the age of 21, and the following decade, she became the first woman signed by historic boxing promoter Don King. She went on to be the first female boxer to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Many of her fights drew boasted significant viewership, and one of her most famous matches—against Irishwoman Deirdre Gogarty in 1996—is said to have been the event that put female boxing on the map.
At the height of her boxing career, Christy was facing the hardest battle of all at home in her personal life, struggling to cope with her abusive ex-husband (and trainer) Jim Martin.
What Do We Know About Her Biopic Starring Sydney Sweeney?
A title for the Christy Martin biopic is yet to be announced but we know it will follow Martin’s rise to fame, career success and the personal battles she dealt with along the way. It will reportedly also cover the 2010 attempt on Christy’s life by her then-husband, (and manager) James V. Martin, who is currently serving a prison sentence for attempted second-degree murder.
“I have a history of making movies about damaged men and I’d been wanting to make a film about a woman with a ferocious energy inside her,” director David Michôd, told Deadline. “When I came across the Christy Martin story two years ago, I knew I’d found it. Her ferocity is intelligible and justifiable, and audiences will crave it because of the circumstances she was forced to endure.”
Leading lady Sydney Sweeney also shared with Deadline: “Christy’s story isn’t a light one, it’s physically and emotionally demanding, there’s a lot of weight to carry. But I love challenging myself. “I feel compelled to tell a story about a woman who faced so much adversity and didn’t allow it to defeat her. It’s powerful and emotional.”
Ben Foster, Merritt Wever, and Katy O’Brian are also due to appear alongside Sydney in the biopic.
Where Is Christy Martin Now?
The sporting legend currently runs a boxing promotional company and created a non-profit charitable organisation called Christy Champs, which is focused on aiding survivors of domestic violence.
She married Lisa Holewyne, a fellow former boxer, in 2017 and was elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2020.
What Does Christy Martin Think of the Biopic?
Speaking to to TMZ, Christy shared that she is more than happy to see the popular, 26-year-old star portray her in the film.
Despite Christy telling the outlet that she has no involvement in the film, casting, or script itself, she is thrilled that Sydney had previous experience in MMA and hopes that the project will delve deeper than just her accomplishments in the ring.
She told TMZ: “I want this movie to bring awareness to domestic violence, the challenge of sexuality and overall underdog story,” she told the outlet. “I am a coal miner’s daughter from a small town in southern West Virginia that made an impact in a sport that wasn’t taken seriously — women’s boxing.”
She continued, “I think she is young, hot, talented and about to make a movie that in 20-plus years, fathers will watch with their daughters to make them aware of domestic violence.”
When Can We Watch It?
As production is currently underway, we hope that it will be hitting screens sometime in 2025.
While we wait for an official release date to be announced, I guess we’ll just have to continue stalking Sydney Sweeney’s Instagram for more muscly teasers.
